Francis van d o



F. VAN DOREN.

A Truck. y N0. 66.426. 4 "memd'July' 2,1867.

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W @uitrit tstrs @anni @frn FRANCIS VAN DO REN, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN. Letters Patent No. 66,426, dated July 2, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRAY.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

. Be it known that I, FRANCIS VAN DOREN, of Adrian, Lenawee county, Michigan, have invented a new and improved Dray; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which-f- Figure'lY is a central longitudinal section of my improved dray.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new manner of arranging and constructingtthe platform or the bearing surface of dray-carts, the same being so arranged as to be removable from the frame of the dray. To one side of the said platform is secured a series of rollers, which'when on top facilitate the loading and unloading of the cart, while, when the platform is turned around, so that the rollers are on its under side, the dray has an ordinary dat platform, which lcan be removed with its load and rolled to any desired place within a building.Y A represents the horizontal frame of a dray-cart, consisting of the shafts and side pices a a and crossbars b b, as shown It is secured upon an axle, C,on the ends of which the wheels D D are arranged in the usual manner. `E is'a wooden plate which fits between the side pieces a a, and is of the proper length to be used as the bearingplatform of the dray. On its sides are arranged projecting ribs or flanges c c, in which are thebearings for a number of rollers, F F, which rollers are fitted' across the platform E, ns is clearly/shown in the drawings. The diameter of the rollers is larger than the height of the anges c, so that they will always bear the weight of the load on the platform E, whether they are above or below the same. The platform E and appendages are secured in the frame A, by means of 4one or more pins which pass through the sides a of the frameand c of the platform, as is clearly shown in the drawing.

When the platform is so arranged upon the frame A that the rollers F are on top, the dray can be easily loaded, as the articles can be rolled upon it when it is in the position shown in fig. Land can then be held thereon by means of" rings tted in`holes e in the platform E'and frame A, as seen. The articles can then be alsovery easily unloaded by simply removing the rings and inclining the dray, `when they will roll off. When .the platform E is lturned, so that it rests upon the rollers, it can be secured in the frame A in the same manner as otherwise. The uppersurface of the dray will then be flat, and the dray can be loaded and unloaded as usual. But by taking out the pin d, the whole plat-form or skid E, with all the load on top of it, can be rolled from V the dray and into any part of a buildingor store, as maybe desired. `Loading may also be facilitated by this arrangement of having the skid detachable from the dray.

Having-thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The platform E, when provided with 'rollers F, in the manner set forth, in combination with the drayframe A, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. Having rollers F F arranged on the surface of a. dray for the purpose of facilitating the loading and unloading of the same, substantially as set forth.

3. A dray when so made that its platform or bearing portion is made in shape of a. detachable skid, sub

stantially as set forth. Y Y

FRANCIS VAN DOREN.

Witnesses:

WILLARD STEARNS, WM. S. GRUNDY. 

